i've been thinking about this issue for a long time, because some people are going to get rich from this. whenever an old industry is in decline, a new one is about to spring up in its place. ibm's downfall was microsoft's windfall.
so, let's see who's made a dent so far. the original napster, which brought the contours of the new era into sharp focus. too bad their "business model" was based on cold-blooded straight-up theivery. mp3.com was an interesting player for awhile; a bunch of artists made a good living just from being popular on that site. itunes of course, but apple is having a tough time of it because the dinosaur label execs won't get the hell out of the way.
what's next? small boutique "record labels" that distribute their artists' records online for little or no money, and expect the bands to make money through touring and t-shirts? i wish i could see the future more clearly on this.
MySpace. MySpace got popular largely through small independent bands that used it to stay in close touch with their fans. It's still one of the best places to go if you're a struggling artist with a small but devoted fanbase.
so, let's see who's made a dent so far. the original napster, which brought the contours of the new era into sharp focus. too bad their "business model" was based on cold-blooded straight-up theivery. mp3.com was an interesting player for awhile; a bunch of artists made a good living just from being popular on that site. itunes of course, but apple is having a tough time of it because the dinosaur label execs won't get the hell out of the way.
what's next? small boutique "record labels" that distribute their artists' records online for little or no money, and expect the bands to make money through touring and t-shirts? i wish i could see the future more clearly on this.